Can-arranging machine



7 Sheets-Sheet l C. l. BRAREN i CAN-ARRANGING MACHINE Filed April 12, 1959 u, ww ww mia/f1.5)

Feb. 17,-1942,

Feb. 17, 1942. c. l. BRAREN 2,273,509'

y cAN-ARRANGING MACHINE Filed Aprfil l2, 1959 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 q MT- j?? NvENToR ('wwelz vas [Era/@22' n BY .7S UZ; .ql/ s A11/ 5 ATTORNEYS f Feb. 17,*1'942.

c. l. BRAREN cAN-ARRANGING: MACHINE Filled April 12W, m39

'7 Sheets-Sheet I5 `INVENTOR //S ATTORNEYS Feb. 17, 1942. c..|, BRA'RN CAN-ARRANGING MACHINE Filed April l2,

1959 7 Sheets-5heat L;

INVENTOR Y (07776 /r'as/.rafe/z Y' BY Y m Feb. 17, '1942. c. 1 BRAREN 2,273,509

I GAN-ARRANGING MACHINE '7 Sheets-Sheelrl 6 Filed April l2,l 19159v Feb. 17, 1942. QL BRREN GAN-ARRANGING MACHINE Filed April l2; 1959 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Patented Feb. 17, 1942- PATENT OFFICE` l atrasos?Y f Y f CAN-.ARRANGING Meerane e Cornelius I. Braren, Jamaica, N. Y., assignorI to i Standard-Knapp Corporation, 'Long Island City,"N. Y., a corporation of New York Appucatin April 12,

13 Claims.

y This'inventionV relatesto an improved apparatus for. arranging cans, and more particularly for rearranging cans which are being fed in upright position yinarsingle `line `into two or more lines containing the sameor different numbers of cans. Such apparatus is employedrfor handling either illled `or empty cansan'd more especially, for 4handling cans in packing plants in which the ca'ns have been filled withfood or other products.

In" `packing' plants for ,packing fruit, Avegetables and other products in cans, the cans usually pass 'from thelabelling machines to thecasing machines .which place the labelled cans in shipping cases', or cartons klveach containing the desired number of cans for shipment. These labelling I machines operate at considerably higher ,speed than the casing machines so that one labelling 'machine can supply severalcasing machines. Not infrequently Vthecansare:discharged fromvv the labelling machine ata high rate `of speed, Vfor,

` example, vone thousand cans per minute in a single'line, and it may be'necessary to divide this line intofour linesiof'250 cans ,per minute, each to befed to four casing machines.v

Heretofore ithas been customary to employ dividing mechanism ofthe so-called fstarwheel divider type in which adivideru element is shiftjed lromside to side by the passing cans to switch the cans alternately into two runways or lines.

This apparatus operates very satisfactorily when the speed of the cans isnottoo high, but at the f higher can speeds, andV particularly with the smaller sizes of cans, there is aV tendency for the tongue ofthe dividingV element to be prevented from shiftingby engagement with the next succeeding'camthus' causingthe apparatus to failA todischarge the cans equally into. the tworunways orlines.f Q i, f j

' The object `of the present invention is to overcome this difliculty andprovide for the division ofa single line `0f cans fed at high speed into two or more lines with a predetermined equal or un#l equal distribution of cans between' these lines.

Another object of the invention is to provide anV apparatus of Vthis sotfwhich 'is sufllciently ruggedA to withstand the passage therethrough of comparatively heavy cans at' .the high linear speed which is necessary with thehigh rate ofA candelivery desired. The invention-willbe understood lfrom a con- `1939, serial N. 261,4! 25 Fig. 2A is a longitudinal vertical central section ofthe apparatus shown in Fig. l; Figa 3`is a transverse vertical section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1; i 5 Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 taken on line I-lofligl;V Figs. 5,-8, inclusive, are views illustrating the operation Vof thel apparatus in rearranging the l cans from a` single line into two parallel lines; 1 0 Fig, 9 isal view similar to Figs. 5-8, inclusive of a modied Iformof the apparatus;

Fig. isairag'mentary ,transverse vert-ical section taken on line I0 -I 0 of Fig. 9,;

Fig.` 11 isa View 15 modification, and;Y Fig. 12 'is"a. similar view of a 'cationj ,i 1 Y Referring now to these drawingsgasingle line of cans I isconveyed from .the labelling machine by means of any sitableconveyor and delivered in upright position to the lright hand end .of an endless belt 2 which operates upon two rolls 3 and 4, thelatterroll beingadjustable tokeep the belt taut. The upperside of, thebelt, which actsv as a conveyor for the cans, is-l preferably supported upona longitudinal shelf, or table, 5. Alongeach'margin'pf this belt Ithere are `stationary guide rails 6 which are preferably adjustable laterally to accommodate different.- sizes of cans.` These 4guide rails 8 are of sufficient vertical Awidth to `prevent thev cans `from tipping over under anyv unusual condition, but are arranged close to the surface ofl belti2 so as to guide the cans by engaging the lower can beads, as illustrated in Fig. 3, and thereby avoid'rnarringthelabels.y f Leaving `theleft-hand end of' belt 2, the ycans pass overa scufl'v platel, upon: which they are supported inV passing between two toothed wheels 40 or, more properly, disks 8v and 9,A by means'of which, together with the lateral forces due to the interactionof the cans one upon another, the cans are rearranged into two rows I0 and II. Just before the cans` pass off of, the left-hand end of scuff 'plate l, they pass the frontend o1' af-vertical division plate I2, and after that each of the separate lines I0 and I I may, while still infupright position b eV passed through another can-dividing apparatus similar to that just described;VV thereby again rearranging these two rows into four rows, or lines, of cans togo to the casing machines. As shown inFig. v 1, thecas of rows I0 and II are delivered to ltwisting devices I3 and I, by means of which 4theyv are turnedfromY upright fiithr media;

this instance, into two parallel lines.

will be referred to as one disk after the descrip- Y tion of the details of construction is completed. The lower sections of these wheels act upon the bottom beads of the cans, and the upper sections on the top beads in order to avoid damage to the appearance of the cans.

Wheels orY disks 8 andi! are mounted, respectively, upon two Vertical parallel shafts I1 and I8 and are keyed thereto by means of keys I9 so that the teeth and recesses of the upper and lower wheel sections are maintained accurately in vertical alinement. While the wheel sections are of sufficient width to accommodate cans of slightly varying height without readjustment, the sections vare made vertically adiustable with respect to one another on their respective shafts -II and I8 by means of the set screws 20 to enable the apparatus to handle cans of different heights as Well as different diameters. It will be undercontact with the tops of the cans by means of springs 24, and which is positively driven at the same linear speed as belt 2.

Auxiliary belt 23 is supported by means of pulleys 25 and 26 which are journalled in a framework 21 which is adjustable vertically, as indicated at 28 in Fig. 2.

Power for driving the:entire machine is supplied by'an electric motor 29 which is mounted at one side of the machine on a suitable platform which forms part of the machine framework. This motor, by means of a V-belt 30 drives a cross shaft 3|, upon the opposite end stood that when the apparatus is changed over to handle cans of considerably larger or smaller diameter, the wheels 8 and 9 will be replaced on shaft Il and I8 by other similar wheels having the appropriate size of teeth and recesses.

l`In order to cause the teeth' and recesses of Wheels 8 and 9 to properly'cooperate with each other to shift the cans as desired as the cans pass between these wheels, shafts II and I8 are geared together Vas illustrated, for example, in Fig'. 4 in such manner that the wheels will rotate simultaneously in opposite directions and at the same angular velocity. As shown in Fig. 4, spur gearing may be employed for this purpose, including the two large gears 2| and the two smaller gears 22 intermeshing with one another to form a gear train connecting the two shafts. The wheels 8 and 9 thus rotate in unison as the cans are pushed between them.

It will be understood Ythat wheels 8 and 9 are spaced apart an appropriate distance to permit the cans tomove freely between them nested on one side in a wheel recess and held therein by a tooth on theopposite wheel as the cans cross the common centerline of the wheels.`

In order to support the cans so that the lower beads strike at about the centers of the lower wheel sections, scuif plate I is arcuately recessed on opposite sides, as shown in Fig. 1, to conform closely to the peripheries of wheels 8 and 9. Wheels 8 and 9 are not positively driven but are rotated solely by the feeding pressure of the cans in the single line. The portion ofthe single line I of cans which is undergoing separation consists of the cans on scuff plate 1. The rst can on the scuff plate might be considered as constituting the rear end of the line` of cans which is undergoing separation or division, in

The feeding pressure for feeding these cans forward is applied at therear end of this line by the cans which are on conveyor belt 2 and which are fed A forward by the friction of the cans on this belt.

In order to provide sufcient feeding pressure at the rear end of the line of cans on the 'scui plate I without making belt 2 too long, it is desirable to employ a comparatively short upper feed belt 23, the lower side of which is held in of which there is a sprocket 32. Conveyor belt 2 is driven by means of a chain'33 passing over sprocket 32 and a larger sprocket 34 on one end of shaft 35 which supports belt roll 3.

The auxiliary belt 23 is driven by means of a sprocket 36 on shaft 35 adjacent sprocket 34 and a chain 3l which drives sprocket 38 on an upper cross shaft 39 which is journalled in the adjustable supporting frame 21 for the auxiliary belt. On the oppositeend of shaft 39 there is a gear 40 which meshes with a similar gear 4I on the end of shaft 42 which supports driving pulley 25 of belt 23.

- As is clearly shown in Figs. l and 5 to 8, the

teeth and recesses respectively are of substantially uniform shape around'the periphery of the disks and the teeth on each of the disks are blunt and form shallow recesses between them which are approximately a` width the same as the width of the teeth. Also, each tooth has a radial seat portion on o ne side at its tip for transmitting rotating force to the disks from the cans and a convex portion on its opposite side for transmitting movement to the cans, as will appear from the detailed description of the movement of the cans from the single line, between the disks, and into the several lanes into which it is desired to distribute them. The paths of greatest radius of the teeth are spaced in non-tangential relation. The shallowness of the recesses compared with the radii of the disks, a characteristic of the mechanism as illustrated in the several figures of the drawings, together with the shape ofthe teeth and theirrelation to the recesses, insures a gradual lateral movement of the'cans from the single line to the several lanes.

Figs. 5-8, inclusive, illustrate the interaction ofk the cans on one another as they undergo division under the control of the toothed wheels 8 and 9 from a single line I into two parallel lines I0 and II. vThese figures show only the cans on scuf plate 1, that is to say, the single line of cans which is undergoing division into two lines. The first operation isthe displacement of the cans consecutively and in opposite directions out of the straight line in which they are fed onto the scuff plate at its right hand end. 'I'his is-done by means of the teeth of the toothed wheels.

As soon as this displacement occurs, the feeding pressure transmitted from one can to another from the right-hand end or head of the line undergoing separation causes the displaced cans to interact on one another and exert laterally shifting forces upon each other. The initial displacement by theteeth of the wheels is comparatively small and this initiates further lateral displacement caused by the camming action of v y of the`l recesses vbetween they teeth of the,

toothedwheels 8 and 9. .The 2result is to place the ,cans in two gradually diverging lines, such as indicated by numerals 66 and 61 in Fig. 5, and then a' final separating movement is given the cans i V to move themalong thegradually'divergentlines into parallel rows or lines. This' final movement f in the form of apparatus here illustrated is also imparted by .the teeth of thetoothed whee1s' in cooperation with the interaction 'of the cans one `upon another.

two

InlFig. 8, can y has advanced to substantially theend ofI itsfjdiverging line comprising cans e g, i, and can h has moved denitely into the left-hand diverging line ,comprising cans d, f, h,

i. Cari g* lis `undergoing- ,its nal separating movement under the pressure of the rounded front surface of tooth Th of wheel 9.

The relations of lthecans to one another and e e to the teeth and recesses of the Vwheels!! and 8,

as shownin Figs. 58,inclusive, is that assumed by the cans when the apparatus is operating at extremely Vlowspeed. 'I'hat to say, the impact or reboundingf'action ofthe carisas` they engage the wheels, or as 'they are ,engaged by the wheels,l

at high speed, 'isnot taken into Aaccount in lthese In theseigures, thecans have beenlettered from a toi, inclusive, and the teethand recesses .are indicated. by the capital letters T and R to- Referring now to Figs.`9 and 10; there is here shown a modified rform of, dividing apparatus for dividingV a single line of `cans into three 'separate vlines or rows, there being an unequal distribution' of the cangs among the three rows. In` this instancetwo cansare placed in each of the outside rows 43 andj44y `to each single can delivered tothe center row 45.,V .A

` In' order to accomplish this distribution, the

y ,toothed whee1s`46vand'41 are provided with cooperating teeth and recesses of non-uniform length and depth, respectively, the distances of the ends of the teeth and the bottoms of the recesses from 'the centers of their respective Vwheels serving'to determine the llane intowhich the cans acted upon by the cooperating teeth gether with subscript smallfle'tters indicating the particular teethwhich initially displace the respective cans, and also the particular recesses as they pass between the wheels. We will trace the movement of can g from the time it enters between the wheelsefuntil the time it'leaves the same. Y

In Fig. 5,`can g isjust being displacedor deflected, by tooth Tg vof wheel 8 towards recess e into and out of which the respective cans move f andk recesses are to entenffIhe wheels of Fig.v `9 have cooperating teeth and recesses so arcans, the teeth of thefwheelslsffad 41 are of Rg of wheel. "At'the instant illustrated in Fig. 5, the feeding vpressure is imparted byrcan i which is still on belt 2(and bythe other cans ,back'of it) to canhwhich is `still in the single straight line. This feedingpressure is transmitted 4from can h to*v can o to can f. Can f is both rotating wheel 8 by contact with recess,

Rf, and lalso pushingcan e forward.

. vIn Fig.l 6` can g, being squeezed between cans hland f,` hasv been shifted away` from tooth Tg against the bottom of recess Rg and is now pushing can f forward, which, in turn, is. serving toV rotate wheel 8 and also 4continues,topush can three different lengths `with the'o'rder of the teeth on veach Wheel, inftheV direction of rotation of the wheel, .being a' tooth of minimum length,

Y atooth'ofV maximum length, two teeth of intermediate lengthand a second toothof maximum length. As in the preceding figures, the recesses in eachv wheel correspondgtothe length ofthe corresponding teeth in 1 the opposite wheel.

e. Cany also tends to`rotate wheel 9, butthe two vWheels 8 and 9 are kept lin stepjwith. one

" 'another by means of the gearing shown in Fig. 4.

It will be observed from Fig.`2 that guide rails `6 are `provided with extensions 6a .which are aplproximately of the samewidth as theheight of i the cans, 'and hence occupyv substantially all of the vertical distance` between the ,upper and 4lower sections of wheels8 and9,'as shown in Fig. 2, i and as shownin Figs. 5-8, forfexamp'le, the lefthand ends of theseguide rails are aredout- Vwardly so as to permitthe lateral movement of can g into recess Rg as 'described above.

In Fig. 1 can` g has advanced until `it issub- Wheels 41 and 48 are keyed to shafts 48 and 49 and theseshafts are geared together in a similar manner to shafts I1 and `I8 so that the can dividing Wheelsrotate in unison Aas before.'

`in the Vform of apparatus "previously described, the vcans'are advanced in` a single line overv a scuff plate Aindicated by reference nu meral 5|), the feeding pressure being supplied by a conveyor belt .5I, as before, and the wheels 46 and 41 rotatedlbythisfeeding pressure acting through thevcans, thepressur'e being Vtransmitted from` onecan to another;l i.

lIn the arrangement shown, 20 Acans pass -through the 'wheelsfor each revolution of the wheels, and ofA thesev cans'four'go to the'center line and 8 to each of lines '43 and 44. In

l this iigure can r is being positioned by tooth Tr stantiallyvonV the center line between the ax'esof the twowheels 8 and 8 wheref'it may again be engaged by tooth g. thereby holding the canv and recess Rr for delivery tothe center line 45.v

Can m has previously been delivered to this line by tooth Tm and recess Rm and can w will be delivered to this line later on. Following can r,

within recess Rg and definitely nearer to the axis of wheel 9 than of Vwheel v8, or,'inr other words, jholding vcan g denitely displaced in. the same direction to which it was'` initiallydisplaced by cans will be delivered to line 43 by tooth Ts and recess Rs, and can t will be delivered to lineA 44 bytooth Tt. and recess Rt. Can u will be deliveredto line 43 andcan vto line 44.

tooth Tg. In the condition of affairs shown in V Fig., '1, can h has been initially displaced by tooth Th towards wheel'8y and is in the act of vmoving under the interaction of cans i and g into recessRh. In another instant it will strike ,hand` guide rail and immediately `thereafter reach the bottom of recess Rh.

, the fiared portion of'extensions 6a of ,the 1eft.

Hence the four cans in between those delivered to the lcenter line v,4.'5 are delivered alternately to the outer 1ines'43 and ,44.

`In this modification, the scuii plate 540, in-

- stead offbeing cut away so as to cooperate with 4the faces of the. toothed wheels`4|iA and 41, as

does scui'f plate 1, Vis arranged to underly the toothed wheels. It is adjusted close to the undersurface of the lower sections of the two wheels,

vas shown in Fig. 10, so as to cause thev lower beads of the cans to engagethe toothed wheels and. preserve the sides of the cansvfrom being.

marred a i Y In this modification also it will be understood that the cans arefed between the dividing wheels 46 and 41 by the pressure exerted by the cans on in connectionwith Figs. 9 and 11. The can separating or dividing'wheels 65 and 66'are not similar in outline, but the distribution of the cans is determined in the same manner as in 'the other formsI of .the apparatus, namely, by

l the variation in the distances from the centers `of therespective wheels ofthe teeth and rethe feed beltv which may be similar to feed belt 2V of Fig. l.l The guide rails 5,2 are similar toguiderails 'Stand are flared', as Ashown in Fig. 9, in such a Way as 'to permit the cans to gradually move sidewise, into the recesses of ,wheels46 and 41, bottoming in these recesses at the time the cans reach the center line between the two wheels. These 'ared portions thus prevent a too abrupt lateralshift of the cans after the initial displacement by the wheel teeth. The

veyor belt 53.

lIn the modified .form of apparatus shown in VVcans after being distributed into lanes 43, 44 Y and 45'are 4carried forward by means of a con- Fig. l1, the teeth and recessesv of the dividing l wheels 54V and 55 are arranged to distribute the cans into three separate lanes 56, 51A and 58, but unlike the apparatus of Fig. 9'the cans are equally divided between ,these three lanes. Thus the v cycle of can delivery for this form'of apparatus is a b' c', one can to v each of lanes 56, 58 and 51, respectively, and this cycler'is repeated so long'as the apparatus remains in operation'. To accomplish such distribution of the cans, the wheels 54 and .55 are formed'as shown rwith each tooth, inthe direction of rotation'of the wheels, being followed by two recesseswith the first of saidtwo recesses being shallowerthan the vsecond andthe relation of the wheels tolone anc'esses. `Thus 'Tgk and Tl' are both the 'same distance from the centerof wheel 65 and consequently divert cans 7c" and Iv` both to lane 63, while the bottom of recess Rm is closer to the center of wheel 65 andthis permits tooth Tm of wheel 66 to shift can m' into lane 64. The recesses and teeth Ric', Rl' and Tm' of Wheel 66 complement, respectively, teeth Tlc', Tland recess Rm.

In all of thesel forms of the improved appa- 'ratus the cans are fed forward'between the dividing or separating wheels by pressure exerted on the cans at the rear of the line of cans undergoing separation, andthe teeth of the separating wheels disturb the equilibrium of the forces Vtransmitted fromeone can to another along the of the recesses and the teeth. VThis method of otherbeing such thatduring'their rotation the ,teeth of "each wheelicomje "op'positethe deeper Q recesses vof the opposite Vwheel andthe 'shallower recesses come' opposite v'one another.

vThe-cans arev fed into :the apparatus by means same manner as scuft' plate 50 o f the apparatus of Fig .`9,and the ends of can guiderailsl 62 are flared' similarly to guide rails 52. In this instance, as in Figs. 9 and al, the two rvpairs of coacting wheels are exactly similar, thereby simplifying the manufacture: The'distribution of the cans between the three, lanes 56," 51 'and 58 is determined asjbefore by the distances of the teeth and recesses from the centers of their respective wheels 54 and 55. However, the moveofa Ybelt 59'and jearriedawayfrom it'by a' secend belt 60,411 Scuff piane' 6| 'is constructed in the operation takes place regardless of whether the cans are divided from Va single line into two` lines of the same number of cans as in Fig. 5, in three lines of unequal numbers of cans as in Fig. '9, in three lines of equal numbers of cans as in Fig. 11, or in two lines of unequal numbers of cans as in Fig. 12.

One of the most important considerations in the practical operation of can-dividing apparatus is to provide for the automatic Vstarting and stopping of the mechanism. For example, in the operation of a packing plant, gaps in the single line of cans coming from the labelling machine may frequently occur. These may be caused by a temporary stoppage of the labelling machine, or a temporary cessation of the feeding of the cans to the labelling machine, and for other reav sons. If the can-separating apparatus will not ment or shifting of the cans"f'romv the single line into the three lanes is not effected entirely by the' action of the'wheels upon the cans but, Y

in addition to the wheel action, includes the interaction of some of 4the cans upon others. Thus the can at the position occupied by can c is used to defiect cans which are being 'moved toward the two outer lanes 56 and 58.A In the position of the cans shown'in Fig. 11, can e is being pushed forward by can ff, and deflected the wheels as shown in Fig. *V11 it is preferable to have the separating rail between lanes 51 and 58 project nearer to the wheels rthan the railbetween lanes 51 and 56.

In the modification of Fig. 12, the cans are divided from a Ysingle line into two lines, but` twice as many cans are delivered to lane 63 as to lane 64. The cycle of can delivery is therefore indicated by cans k' Z m'. Thel feed and delivery belts, can guides and scu plate are constructed similarly to those previously described 'toward lane 58 by can c. With the shape of restart its operation automatically, after a gap in the line of Vcans occurs, it is a serious matter. .Suchautomatic restarting, however, is provided for in the apparatus of the present invention because of the fact that the can-separating `toothed Wheels 8 and 9, or 46 and 41, etc., are

rotated by the cans themselves. Hence when a gap in the line of cans occurs, rotation of the wheels stops immediately. The inertia of the wheels is insuflicient to feed the cans forward on the scuif plate because of the friction of these cans on the plate.

When feeding pressure at the rear of the line vof cans undergoing separation on the scuf plate is removed by failure of the supply of cans on feed belt 2, for example, the last can to be fed onto the scuff plate will move only a comparatively short distance. The wheels 8 and 9 will stop with a full complement of cans in position between them. Hence, as soon as the feeding of the cans in the supply lines is re-established` the movement of the cans over the scuff plate and between the toothed wheels is alsoy restarted immediately. f

With the apparatus of the present` invention,

not only can the cans fed in a single line be rearranged into two or more lines with great f rapidity, but also the number of Jlines into which f M, distribution of Aa;l single line` into five lines each containing the samey number of cans can be obtained. With various combinations of the several forms of apparatus illustrated, other particular can distribution to meet desired conditions can be secured. f

j It. will be understood that the illustrtion and description above given is for the purpose of explaining the invention, but that the invention is not limited to the particular apparatus'thus disclosed, and that the invention extends to changes in the construction which come within the scope of the appended claims. Thus, if desired, other 20 with the upper beads of the cans.

f the cans and being mounted for adjustment thereon for operation upon cans of different heights. i

3. In an apparatusof the class described, a

stationary support, means for feeding cans in upright position in asingle line along the support, two spaced parallel upright shafts operatively connected for conjoint rotation in opposite directions, one positioned on each side of the line of cans,y each of said shafts carying two disks having teeth and' recesses in their peripheries, the teeth of the disks on one shaft cooperating `with the recesses of. the disks on the other shaft to rearrange the cans in a plurality of lines as they are fed between thefshafts, the lower disk on each shaft being arranged to rotate in close proximity to the surface of the support so as to coactwith the lower beads of thecans, and the upper disk on each shaft being arranged to coaot 4.`In. an apparatus of the class described, a pair of toothed disks arranged in spaced relation in the same plane and interconnected for conjoint rotation in opposite directions, means separating wheel contours having teeth and on one side of thedisks for continuously feeding recess formation to produce various can distributions between the several lines of cans of those illustrated, as well as distribution into different numbers of lines, can be devised without departingv from the spirit of the present CeSSeS Which are ShallOW Compared with the l .invention and the scopeof the-claims. -It will be radii 0f the disks.. heteeth being of SubStan- 4further understood that the term "cans as employed hereinis used in a generic sense and in- -cludes bottles and othenarticles of a general cylindrical nature which `itmay be desired to i handle in quantities in accordance with the `teeth and recesses in their peripheries adapted to cooperate with one another as the lcans are fed between the wheels to provide can positioning pockets, lthe position of the said pockets as each can passes the center lineey between the wheels determining the lane which is to receive the can, the lower wheels on each shaft being arranged to rotate in close proximity to the surface of the support so 'as to coact with the lower beads of the cans,-and the upper wheel on each shaft being arranged to coact with the upper-beads of the cans. I

2. In an apparatus of the class described, a stationary support, means for feeding cans in upright position in a single line along the support, two spaced parallel uprightshafts operatively connected for conjoint rotation in opposite directions, one positioned on each side of the lineof cans, each of saidshafts carrying two wheels having teeth and vrecesses in their peripheries, the teeth of thev wheels on one shaft cooperating with the recesses of the wheels on the other shaft tovrearrange the cansin a plurality of lines as they are fed between the shafts, the lower wheel on each shaft being arranged to rotate in close proximity to the surface of the support so as to coact with the lower beads of the cans, and the upper wheel on each shaft between them a single line of cans in upright position, a plurality `of lanes ori the opposite side y of the disks for'` receiving theY cans, saidv disks having blunt teeth formingbetween them retially the same width as that of the recesses, whereby a gradual lateral `movement o f the cans from the` single 4line into the several lanes is produced.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, a pair of toothed disksarranged in spaced-relation in the same plane and interconnected for conjoint rotation in opposite directions, means on I, one side of the 'disks for continuously feeding cesses which are shallow compared with the radii of the disks and thev bases' of which' substantially.

conform to the curvature of the cans, the teeth being of substantially the same widthl as the recesses, whereby a gradual lateral movement of the cans from the single line into the several lanes is produced.

6.,In an apparatus of the class described, a pair of toothed disks arranged in spaced relation in the same plane and interconnected for conjoint rotation in opposite directions, means on \one side ofthe disks for continuously feeding'between them a single line of cans in upright position, a plurality of lanes on the opposite side of the disks for receiving the cans', said disks having blunt `teeth forming between them recesses which are shallow comparedwith the radii of the disks, and

the bases of which substantially conform to the curvature of the cans, said teeth having radial f seat portionsl on one side at their tips for trans.- mitting rotating force to the disks from the cans being arranged t0 COaCt with the upper beadS 0f 75 them a single line of cans in upright position, a

plurality of lanes on the opposite side of the disks for receiving the cans, said disks having blunt teeth forming between them recesses which are shallow compared with the radii of the disks and the bases of which substantiallyconform to the curvature of the cans, said teeth having radial seat portions on one side at their tips for transmittingrotating force-to the disks from the-cans and convex portions ontheir opposite sides for ytransmitting movement to the cans, whereby a gradual lateral movement of the cans from th'e single line into the several lanes is produced, certain of theteeth of one of said disks being longer than the others, and the recesses correspon'ding thereto in the opposite disk being correspondingly deeper thereby producing a prededetermined uneven distribution of the cans among the several lanes.

. 8. In an apparatus of the classdescribed, a pair'of` toothed disks arranged in spaced relation in the sameplaney and interconnected for conjoint rotation in opposite directions, means on one side of the disks for continuously feeding between them a single line of cans in upright position, a

plurality of lanesy on the oppositeside of th'e disks for receiving the cans, said disks having blunt teeth forming between them recesses which are 'shallow compared with the radii of the disks and the bases rof which substantially conform to the curvature of the cans, and the paths of greatest radius of the disks being spaced in non-tangential relation, whereby a gradual lateral movement of the cans from the single line into the several lanes is produced.

9. In an apparatus of the class described, a pair of toothed disks arranged in spaced relation in the same plane and interconnected for conjoint rotation in yopposite directions, means on one side of th'e disks for continuously feeding between them a single line of cans in upright position, a plurality of lanes on the opposite side of the disks for receiving the cans, said disks having blunt teeth forming between them recesses which are shallow compared with the radii of the .disks and the bases of which substantially conform to the curvature of'the cans, and the paths of greatest radius of the disks being spaced from one anotherat their nearest point substantially onehalf the diameter of the cans,.whereby agradual lateral movement lof the cans from the single line into said lanes is produced.

10. In an apparatus of the class described, a pair of toothed disks arranged in spaced relation in the same plane and interconnected for con- A joint lrotation in opposite directions, means on one side of the disks for continuously feeding between them a single line of rcans in upright position, a pair of lanes on the opposite side of the disks for receiving the cans, said disks having blunt teeth forming between them recesses which are shallow compared with the radii of the disks i and `the bases of which sustantially conform to the curvature of the cans, and the teeth' and recesses, respectively, being substantially ofuniform shape around the periphery of said disks, whereby the cans gradually are moved laterally from the single line into said pair of lanes and are distributed alternately intov said pair of lanes.

1l. In an apparatus of the class described, a pair of toothed disks arranged in spaced relation in the same plane and interconnected for c'onjoint rotation in opposite directions, means on one side of the disks for continuously feeding between thema single line of cans in upright position, three lanes on the opposite sides of said disks for receiving the cans, one of the lanes being a central lane opposite th'e space between said disks, the other two lanes being outside lanes at opposite sides of said central lane, and each being opposite one of said disks, said disks having blunt teeth forming between them shallow recesses thereby producing a gradual lateral movement of the cans fromthe single line into the several lanes, the teeth on each disk being of minimum, maximum and intermediate lengths, with the order of the teeth on each' disk, in the direction of rotation of the disk, being a tooth of minimum length, a tooth of maximum length, two teeth of intermediate length and a outside lanes.

1,2. In an apparatus of the class described, a pair of toothed disks arranged in spaced relation in the same plane and interconnected for conjoint rotation in opposite directions, means on one side of the disksfor continuously feeding between thema single line of cans in upright position, three lanes on the opposite sides of said disks for receiving the cans, 4one of the lanes being avlcentral lane opposite the space between said disks, the other two lanes being outside lanes at opposite sides of said central lane, and each being opposite one of said disks, said disks having blunt teeth and between them shallow recesses, each tooth, in the direction of rotation of the disks, being followed by two recesses with the first of said two recesses b eing shallower than the second, the relation of said disks to one another being such that during their rotation the teeth of each disk come opposite the deeper recesses of the opposite disk and the shallower recesses come opposite one another, whereby the cans gradually are movedA laterally from the single line into said three lanes and distributed evenly into said lanes.

,13. In an'apparatus of the class described, a. pair of toothed disks arranged in spaced relation in the same plane and interconnected for conjoint rotation in opposite directions, means one one side of the disks for continuously feeding between them a single line of cans in upright position, three lanes on the opposite sides of said disks for receiving the cans, one of the lanes being a central lane opposite the space between said disks, `the other two lanes being outside lanes at opposite sides of said central lane, and each being opposite one of said disks, said lanes being defined by partitions, one of said partitions-extending closer to the periphery of its adjacent teeth than the other partition, said disks having blunt teeth and betwen them shallow recesses, each tooth, in the direction of rotation of the disks, being followed by two recesses with the first lof said two recesses being shallower than the second, the relation of said disks to one another being such that during their rotation the teeth of each disk come opposite the deeper recesses of the opposite disk and the shallower recesses come opposite one another, whereby the cans gradually are moved laterally fromV CORNELIUS I. BRAREN. 

